


Picasso Is At The Wheel

by HDH0111



Series: All The Gold Sold At The End Of The Rainbow [3]
Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Epic Love, F/F, Falling In Love, Love, Love Confessions, National Women's Soccer League, True Love, US Women's Soccer National Team, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:34:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22955701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HDH0111/pseuds/HDH0111
Summary: Christen Press and Tobin Heath are one of the most shipped couples of the US Women's Soccer League. Many of their USWNT mates are their biggest fans and supporters because Preath has been a thing since 2015.But nothing is always rainbows and butterflies. The real world and big relationship troubles have taken their toll on the famous couple in 2017.How will they deal with their messy situation one year later? Can they make it through the self-made chaos?See for yourself...
Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press
Series: All The Gold Sold At The End Of The Rainbow [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1525262
Comments: 9
Kudos: 42





	1. Blinded By The Brighter Side

**Author's Note:**

> [Hey guys, thanks for stopping by. Please be aware that I'm no native English speaker so some phrases and word constructions might sound odd to you. I hope you still get the meaning though.]
> 
> “Tell me play by play what to say  
> Feed me all my lines  
> Give me attitude and all the tools  
> So I can make you mine”

**Christen’s POV**

“You gotta put the lighter inside, Johnson! It’s not gonna work from miles away”, Tobin yelled across the terrace while Christen and Sam Mewis couldn’t stop laughing. Christen’s new teammate on the Utah Royals FC just couldn’t get herself to move closer to the grill because it seemed like a death threat to her. “Tobin”, Johnson screamed while trying to get the lighter close enough to the grill, “help me out here, won’t you?!” Eventually Tobin started laughing, too, but got off of her chair and went over to Samantha Johnson to lend her a hand. “They’re gonna burn the house down”, Mewis joked and took a sip from her diet coke. “I really don’t want to die today”, Christen replied to Sam and held onto her chair a little tighter. Tobin took the lighter from Johnson, turned up the gas on the grill and set it on fire with ease, followed by loud cheers from Press and Mewis who felt safe finally. As result of the grill dilemma, they all decided to promote Heath to chef of the grill for today so nobody would have to fear for their life again.

Half an hour later, the slender forward had managed to get the first patties and chicken breasts grilled nicely, so Christen brought a plate from the large wooden table to place them on. As Tobin got eyesight of her, a bright smile lit up her face while she flipped over one of the unfinished patties. “Hello Ms. Head of Cuisine”, Chris greeted her in a lowered, flirty tone, holding the plate close to the grill so Tobin was able to get the meat on there with the barbeque tongs. “They’re sending the sexy kitchen help finally, I see”, Tobs continued the gastronomy slang and leaned in for a kiss. Christen played hard to get and took the tongs out of the opposite’s hand to shovel the deliciously smelling chicken on the plate herself. Chris didn’t like PDA very much but in this moment she primarily used it as an excuse to drive Tobin nuts. “Stay calm, tiger. This isn’t the place to wear your bedroom eyes”, Press ordered and gave her cutie the brightest smile and a little wink. “I wish it was”, the slender woman replied with her eyes all over Christen’s beautiful face, forcing her dark-haired friend to rush back to the table, plate in her hand. Otherwise she’d have broken her own rule of keeping her hands off of Tobin in public.

After some more minutes of grill master Tobin’s skills, the four friends engaged in funny conversations while enjoying their delicious plates of food. Most of the chitchat was about the current NWSL and the Portland Thorns as well as the Utah Royals FC. Sam Johnson and Christen had just signed with the Royals this year and had a lot to say about their new teammates. Tobin simply listened to the women’s stories and once or twice secretly put her hand on Press’s thigh, just long enough to bridge the space between them before it became too obvious to their guests, making Chris’s heart jump nevertheless.

“So, you guys have been staying at each other’s a lot lately. Does that mean the break-up rumors are nothing to worry about? Just asking for the fans, obviously”, Mewis wondered while she shoved a huge piece of grilled chicken into her mouth. To win some time, Press washed her worries down with a long sip of wine and waited for Tobin to answer that. “Break-up rumors, huh? We’ve never been dating officially. Let the fans procrastinate like they’ve done since day one.” Typical Heath reply, as always, Christen thought to herself and flashed a smile to the two Sams so nobody would interpret her silence as disagreement. Unfortunately, Johnson and Press had become close during their first training sessions in Utah and there was no way they could’ve hidden something from one another these days. Sam knew very well how difficult Press’s relationship with Tobin was lately and she surely wasn’t someone to keep this information to herself.

“Glad you talked about your issues finally. Training with a depressed Chris is pretty tough. She even bruised my arm, see?”, Johnson made a fuss about a small contusion and showed it to everyone at the table. The tension in Heath was slowly making its way to the surface as Christen put her hand on Tobs’s arm and whispered, “It’s alright. No need to stress about it now.” Tobin relaxed a little and let go of the topic for the rest of the grill party. She even laughed a lot when Mewis talked about how she and her sister Kristie had tried to rob a candy shop once. To sum it up, they ended up paying for all of the stolen stuff, half of it were candies they didn’t even like, because they had been caught by the old lady who was the cashier. Their parents weren’t amused and grounded them for two months but they used the time off to eat all the sweets. “We could’ve died of diabetes after the huge amount of junk we ate during that time. Would’ve been karma, I guess”, Sam said and laughed so loud, everybody else had to join in eventually.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------  
**Tobin’s POV**

As the day was giving in to the night and the four soccer mates had eaten all the leftovers from their BBQ afternoon, there wasn’t much left to do before calling it a day. They sat around the small fireplace in the shared patio of Christen and Tobin’s apartment complex, listening to the calming sound of the bright flames in front of them without saying a word. Nobody wanted to interrupt the peace. Tobin took a minute to look over to Christen who sat right next to her with her eyes closed to fully indulge in the moment. Her brown skin was framed perfectly by the fire’s flickering lights. Heath’s heart felt so full of happiness by simply watching this beauty living her best life with any worries blown away by the summer breeze. Even after Johnson and Mewis had left, the two USWNT teammates kept staring into the firepit in awe of the atmosphere.

It took a few more minutes until Tobin had gathered enough strength to break the peaceful silence and say, “I’m glad you’re back.” Christen opened her eyes and looked at the slender forward totally confused. “You know that I’ve been back for days and you’ve told me this before. I’m glad to be back.” Heath didn’t look up from the raging fire and clarified quietly, “Now I truly mean it.” To anybody else this would have made no sense, but she knew Chris was able to understand her words. This wasn’t about the time Press was in Goteborg, neither about them being apart physically. They hadn’t been the same a while before she left for Sweden. Too much stuff had happened during Tobin’s existential crisis which had started because of her injury in 2017.

“I can’t say if I’m happy that I understand what you mean or if that makes me sad.” That was exactly Tobin’s point. It had taken more than two weeks to feel like Chris belonged here again. 14 days of living in the same apartment, having casual chitchats and sharing a bed like they used to for years. It felt different though. Plastic, almost cynical. As if neither of them truly belonged. “Right now, here with you in this moment, I feel okay. Do you think that’s enough?”, Tobs wondered, eyes still focused on the flames. Suddenly she felt a warmth as Christen’s hand touched hers and their eyes locked similar to the first time they saw each other so many years ago. Then Chris replied confidently, “I believe it’s enough for now…”


	2. It Can’t Be Solace Every Time You Cry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “If I could now  
> I'd never tell you not to love her  
> However, leaving her a long way from her home  
> And it ain't no promise, cracking over time  
> A private corner of Roma  
> Don't shadow the light, wait, good love grown
> 
> So say what you want, dear  
> But the courage was won  
> With the way that you spoke here  
> When the dreaming was done”

**Tobin’s POV** _– [Throwback]_

“I love you too, mum. Talk to you next week”, Tobin finished the Facetime call with her parents which was obligatory every week. They’d gone crazy without speaking to her once a week and Tobs enjoyed the regularity it added to her mostly restless lifestyle. Christen heard that they had ended their talk and joined her partner in the living room again. “How was the call?”, Press asked as she sat down next to Heath on their large, cozy sofa. Actually, Tobin barely listened during these talks but simply enjoyed hearing the familiar voices of her family, so she had absolutely no idea which neighbor her mother referred to as “blunt oddball”. She shook her head, closed her eyes, and leaned back to relax. “Something about knocked over trash cans and how much of a mess the cats made of it. Old people are weird sometimes. I hope I won’t come to a point in my life where I can’t stop whining about all the mistakes other people make instead of caring about my own stuff.”

The slender forward felt a soft hand moving from her shoulder to her neck. “Don’t say that. Your mum’s lovely and I bet she’s just worried about the cats because she had to stop worrying about her little Toby for the sake of her own health”, Christen joked and gave her lover’s cheek a cute, quick kiss. Heath leaned back for her favorite soccer girl to kiss her, begging, “Have mercy, Chris. I can’t take this any longer. I really want to kiss you.” As a response, all she received was a beautiful smile and a tender kiss on her forehead. “No, we’re not disobeying our own rules anymore. I’m not risking our relationship for temporary desire.” She was referring to the agreement they had made two weeks ago, where they decided to get over their issues by minimizing their physical contact for a while. It was Christen’s idea, but Tobin agreed to it because she felt sick from all the drama caused by their little infidelities.

“You know that Leave Me Alone song by P!nk, right? You gotta let us come back. That’s just part of the deal.” She knew all this moaning about the physical hiatus wouldn’t make Press change her mind but at least she got it off of her chest. Her opposite wasn’t amused by the pressure and made it clear, replying, “I told you I’d stay at my place. The offer is still active. I’m not willing to mess this all up again.” She had mentioned that so many times that it made Heath’s head spin just hearing it once more. Her point had been made and there was no chance she’d change her mind on this one. It’d take months to regain trust in each other and that’s what Tobin hated the most about their situation. They had fucked up something good by giving in to temporary pleasures way too often.

“So, you’re really gonna make me miss you while you’re this close to me, I see. Alright, I’m in it for the long run so I won’t complain about it anymore”, the brown-haired World Cup Champion declared quite confident but with a subtle tone of pain in her voice. Maybe it was just the right amount of negativity to make her believe her own words.

**Christen’s POV** _– [Present day – 07|07|2019]_

The final whistle blew, and the cheers poured down on them like summer rain cooling their aching bones which had gone through so much pain during the seemingly endless training sessions. They’d never be the same after today and that was exactly what they wanted. Everything went blank for a while. Just enough time to recover from the troublesome past weeks. “We made it, Chris”, she heard Tobin yell into her ear while they hugged, standing on the field of their victory with their teammates surrounding them and embracing each other too. She couldn’t find any words to convey her happiness, so she kept quiet because she knew it was alright this time. Joyful tears on everyone’s face. This was going to be their year…

Hours later, Press found herself in the middle of the best victory party of the century. The USWNT had just won the World Cup final against the Netherlands and the mood couldn’t have been any better. Pretty much everyone’s closest family and friends were around to celebrate with them. She had separated from Tobin and Julie, who were waiting on a bench nearby while talking about anything that came to their minds. Christen had left them on their own to return her empty cocktail glass to the barkeeper. She didn’t want to run around holding it because she knew she used to get clumsy after drinking even the smallest amount of alcohol.

When she reached the counter in the center of the hotel’s terrace, the whole space in front of the bartender was packed with her teammates as well as other guests who were having a good time and way too much to drink. Eventually she managed to put the glass on a small, still free part of the bar close to where Ashlyn Harris stood and waited for her order. “Still partying hard?”, Press asked, moving over to her teammate. The blonde goalie turned to her with a huge smile, replying joyfully, “Always. What about you and Tobin? Still on the hunt?” The dark-haired forward didn’t really get the question thanks to the liquid in her bloodstream but that was fine with her. She just wasn’t really good with “dangerous substances” and everyone knew it.

“Don’t tell anybody but I think I’m a tiny bit drunk… possibly”, Chris admitted while yelling into Ashlyn’s ear because the music was too loud to hear anything. This confession made Harris smile even wider and somehow Christen felt overly drawn to it. “Are you laughing about me because I’m drunk? That’s not fair. I deserve some fun after all the hard work too.” She started feeling everything too deeply and was just about to pull a sad face on her mate, when Ash shook her head and confessed, “No honey, I wasn’t laughing about you. Actually, I just remembered our weird times and it made me happy.” _Which time exactly?_ Thinking back, about ten memories came to Christen’s mind and made her dizzy head even lighter. All of them were positive and those vibes brought an innocent smirk up on her face. She leaned in closer to Ashlyn, put her hand on her strong shoulder and explained, “It’s hard to pinpoint what you’re referring to because we’ve had plenty of crazy times but I’m sure I’ll figure out what you meant once I get up tomorrow with a huge headache.”

Out of the blue, Harris’ mind drifted off and her seemingly empty eyes looked around the terrace, possibly observing the people surrounding them. Maybe it was the way her neck appeared even more masculine in the dim lights of the terrace’s lamps. Probably it was the alcohol speaking, but something inside of Press felt twisted and bent. Something felt off and even though her mood was joyful and light tonight in Lyon, she cared about her teammates’ conditions still. “You okay?”, the dark-haired woman asked with her voice raised a little so her opposite would definitely hear her. “Yes, of course. I was just… you know, kinda lost in reverie.” Out of habit, Christen agreed to her colleague with a quiet nod.

Ashlyn’s eyes were focused on Press now, no wandering around the party any longer. It’d been a while since someone had looked at her like that. Shivers went down her spine. She started to worry about Harris and what the goalie was about to do to Press’ mind, so she tenderly put her hand on the heavily-tattooed woman’s lower arm. “Want to have a private chat about what’s going on in your mind or isn’t this the right time and place?”, she wondered, sincerely hoping the slightly taller athlete would agree. “No, let’s go somewhere more private and talk. No better time than right after our World Cup win.” This sounded a bit ironic but Christen ignored it because she was too drunk to understand human interaction completely.

They went over to a quiet, little space besides the hotel’s terrace where no eavesdropping was possible. Ashlyn stood pretty close to the forward because there was barely enough room for both of them to stand in together. This physical nearness made silly Chris giggle. “Maybe it’s because I’ve enjoyed too much alcohol tonight, but I like being hammered, tightly squeezed in this tiny corner with you.” Ash’s laughter filled the small space while she put both hands on the wall behind Press, so she didn’t bounce against the dark-haired athlete continuously. “Must be nice being as slender as you are. I can’t even breathe in here, skinny bitch”, Harris joked. Christen tried to restrain from touching her opposite but couldn’t keep a compliment inside, “It’s your muscular frame, honey. Turning all the girls’ heads comes with some disadvantages, I guess.”

Obviously, the well-known goalie ignored the comment for whatever reason, leaving Press slightly frustrated. It wasn’t easy saying something nice into someone’s face and getting no reaction in return. Ashlyn didn’t let her manifest the bad mood because she started a conversation instantly, “Alright, let’s talk… I was just wondering, because I’ll go and marry Ali in a few months, do you still think about our good old days together?” Press’ eyes went from Harris’ mouth to her eyes and back again, unable to gain focus thanks to the alcohol and all the oxytocin rushing through her blood. “Yes, all the time. But it’s nerve-wrecking so I keep myself busy cleaning the messes Tobin makes.” In her head she kept repeating, _all the time._

Ashlyn’s interrogation went further, “Does it trouble you that I’m getting married soon?” Yes and no. Her answer wasn’t quite as torn as her thoughts, “No, it’s cute. I love you and Ali as a couple. Shipping Krieger-Harris all the way.” They were some of her closest friends and teammates so there was no doubt about her supporting them. Still it felt like a sting in her heart, knowing that she won’t ever get to speak her mind about Ash’s and her relationship ever again. _Speak now or forever hold your peace._ Press couldn’t get her mouth to say anything, so she put her hand on the opposite’s chest, touching the soft shirt covering Ashlyn’s skin. It was surprising, however, that the keeper kept her cool.

“Will you try to keep your distance from me romantically, once I’m married?” This question gave Christen the creeps. She tried so hard to be a decent, respectful human-being but now she felt really insecure. “I will try, definitely. Can’t promise that it’ll work all the time because we’re teammates and friends. We’ll be alright though, as always.” “You sure?”, Ash asked again, totally unconvinced because Press’ face didn’t look very confident. The look on Harris’ face said it all. She didn’t believe a single word Christen said even though she probably knew that she was doing her best to keep her distance every day.

For a brief moment, they looked at each other quietly, unsure how to proceed. Neither of them looked away or dared to move an inch. Christen’s hand felt the accelerating heartbeat inside of Ash’s chest and impulsively decided to say, “Happy World Cup victory, two-time WC Champion. See you tomorrow. Don’t party too hard.” Then she planted a gentle kiss on Harris’ cheek, pressing her soft skin against the goalkeeper’s a little longer than usual. It was nice feeling Ashlyn’s warmth even though Press promised herself this would be the last time. _We can’t go on like this_ , she thought to herself. Still the familiar smell of Harris’ body gave the forward butterflies in her stomach. Just as Christen was about to lose every morale, it took everything she had to pull away and leave Ashlyn alone in the tiny space they had chosen for their conversation, but she managed to do it. Her heart broke a little more each step, but she set her eyes on Julie and Tobin sitting on the bench across the terrace and kept walking.

“There she is”, Jules welcomed her with open arms which Christen kindly accepted. The warm, tight embrace from her caring friend felt heavenly. Tobin gave her a soft smile and saw right away that something was wrong. “Where have you been? You look tired”, she said and hit the nail on the head as per usual. Press definitely wasn’t in the mood nor the position to tell Heath about it, so she shortened the situation down, knowing very well that Tobin would get it. “I took a trip down memory lane.”

**_About two hours later…_ **

“Honestly though, everything’s so messed up lately. I can’t find a way to fix my broken relationship with stubborn Tobin and now, instead of enjoying our World Cup victory, I get troubled by old memories”, Press summed up her misery while she sat in the almost empty restaurant of their hotel around midnight with Julie Ertz. Both were still dizzy from the party which they had fled to find some peace. Right now they drank only water with a slice of lemon to recover full consciousness. Julie leaned over the table, grabbed Chris’ hand and said caringly, “Cutie, Tobin is trouble on legs at the moment, so your stressful relationship definitely is joint effort. The Ashlyn thing is a little more complicated of course, but… you know, she’s Ashlyn Harris. Everybody loves her so why shouldn’t you too?”

Christen almost choked on her sip of water. “Don’t say something like that. Don’t even think it.” Both laughed so hard, Jules had to let go of her opposite’s hand because she had to hold her aching belly. “You really don’t want to know what I’m thinking about. My mind is a crazy place.” Actually, Christen believed that. _Anybody’s first impression of Julie is kind and innocently brave but, since I’ve gotten to know her quite well, that’s totally wrong. She has a very dark side to her which could scare people off. Also, her innocence was gone as soon as one heard any of her weird party stories. She’s a wild one._

Suddenly Ertz’s happy face froze. “Don’t turn around now. Harris has entered the restaurant with Pinoe.” Why do catastrophes always have the worst timing? On one day something unbalances you but if you had the second day off to relax and think about it, nothing bad or imprudent would happen. That’s what Christen had figured out from watching all the chaos in her friends’ lives. While she thought about her theory, she felt the stinging look of Ashlyn on her neck, only seconds away from approaching her and wrecking the small bits of inner peace she had gathered throughout the past two hours of recovery.

She slowed her breathing and tried to stay calm. “Hey gal pals! Up so late still? I’m surprised by your determination”, Megan greeted them as she sat on one of the two chairs left empty at their table. “We’re refocusing.” This cynical comment by Christen didn’t even hit Pinoe. No chance they’d leave them alone. “Are we interrupting?”, Ashlyn asked to everyone’s astonishment. “Well, if you aren’t going to stir everything up, you can sit with us”, Julie replied warningly. Of course, Megan didn’t get the hint and told Ashlyn, who kind of refused to interrupt her two teammates, to sit down and relax. _Typical Pinoe move. Can’t say I’m shocked._

One long hour of self-adulation later, the four athletes were in a good mood but kind of tired. Listening to Megan’s rant about equal pay, current politics and victory song mash-ups used up all of their power. “I’m gonna check out the view from the restaurant’s balcony. Be back in a few, guys”, Harris excused herself and left just in time to miss out on another of the pink-haired lady’s monologues. “Babes, I love you dearly but I have to get some air or my head will explode”, Press said, took the last sip of her water and went over to follow Harris to the balcony.

Outside, a warm summer breeze welcomed Christen. She breathed in the refreshing air, then saw Ashlyn leaning on the railing, watching over the Rhone River at night. “It’s really peaceful here”, Press noticed and enjoyed the view too. “It’s going to be so loud once we get up in a few hours for our departure. I’ll try to remember this silence for as long as I can.” Harris’ voice was so soft and brought a tender tone to Christen’s ears which she hadn’t heard in a very long time. She went over to stand by her teammate’s side, both looking over the beautiful river lit by the lights of the resting city. “I don’t feel like going home already”, Press admitted, sounding quite stressed by the thought of it.

“How so? We’ll have a lot to celebrate.” Ash turned her head to look at Chris. A few deep breaths later, the forward answered with a lowered voice, “I’ve been standing by Tobin’s side for a while now but the last year was really tough. We’re on a relationship hiatus and haven’t been talking openly for far too long. Going back to the US won’t change anything about it. Here in France, everyone is honest and actually pretty happy. I don’t want to go into hiding again.”  
Speaking her mind for the first time in over a year was a revelation which brought tears to Press’ eyes. Instantly, Ashlyn wrapped one arm around her, pulling her closer. “You’re gonna be alright. Tobin is the love of your life. We’ve all seen that on and off the field. She’s just not fine lately but she will be again.” Her words sounded genuine and hit home because Christen didn’t expect Harris to act so kind after their shared history. A few small tears rolled down her cheeks, but she hoped her opposite wouldn’t notice because it was very dark on the balcony.

Ashlyn didn’t show if she knew that Chris was crying. All she did was continue her prep talk, “You can go ahead worrying that everything will collapse or pick your crown up and be the queen everyone wants you to be, Heath more than all of us. Sometimes all you need is some time.” The goalie’s words touched Press’ heart. For once she felt understood and cared for. Even though her friend- or relationship with Harris was very complicated due to past decisions, Ashlyn would never let her down. Probably the best friend one could ask for.

“Thank you, Ash. You’re a lovely human-being. Ali’s a lucky woman.” Now that she felt happier again, Christen was able to say these words without any jealousy. She knew she had won the lottery with Harris being her best friend. No need to make it more difficult than it already was. The two World Cup winners stayed on the balcony for a few more minutes, just hugging and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for taking the time to read this rather long second chapter.  
> I hope you liked it. If you did, please consider leaving kudos, comments and subscriptions!  
> Lots of love & stay healthy <3
> 
> Check out the fanfic series linked below if you want to read what some of Christen's & Tobin's USWNT teammates are doing in the meantime!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading through the first chapter. It's very appreciated.  
> Please give me some feedback through kudos, comments and subs so I can improve this reading experience for you!
> 
> Feel free to check out the other parts of the series linked below to see how Chris and Tobin's teammates are doing in the meantime...


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